The contents of this article are written with authoritative materials and personal opinions. The source of the literature has been marked at the end of the article, so please know.
Zelensky finally couldn’t breathe and put the word out. At the United Nations General Assembly in September, as soon as he met Trump, he announced that as soon as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine ended, he would quit immediately.
He also publicly stated that his current task is to "end the war, not to continue to be president". As soon as these words came out, the West was frying the pot.
It doesn't look like running, but it feels like the wartime president is already looking for a ladder for himself. he said he waited until the ceasefire agreement was signed and let parliament rush to arrange presidential elections.But the problem is, where to go is so easy, it’s more complicated than he thinks.
The Ukraine Parliament has long set the tone. In February, there was a special resolution saying that as long as the war was still going on and the country was still in a state of war, there would be no chance of any presidential election.As a result, in July, Parliament extended the wartime status, with a new deadline of November 5.
To put it bluntly, even if Zelensky didn't want to do it himself, as long as the war was not over, he would still have to sit in the presidency. The "resignation timetable" is just a cake. Whether it will be realized by then is unknown to anyone.
Zelensky is clear in his heart, and he is now in a crucial moment.
This war has been going on for more than three years, but there has been no progress on the front line, and the economy in the rear is about to collapse. The emotions of the people also turned from the initial excitement and confidence, to the present anxiety and complaint.
The patience of the Ukrainian people is about to be worn out. He had to find a way out, otherwise it would be difficult for him to escape unscathed in the future. Therefore, Trump became the key figure for his gamble.
During the UN meeting, Trump spoke to Zelensky: “Ukraine’s lost territory can not only be recovered, it may be more.”
For Zelensky, this is nothing practical, but it is an expectation, and he needs to say this to the country, the military and parliament: Americans have not given up on us, we have hope.
But that’s just listening to “a little hope.” NATO has pledged $50 billion in military aid to Ukraine by 2024, but only $33 billion will be available by January 2025.
In Europe, there is more boasting, and when you really give money, you search for it. 257.4 billion euros were promised, but only 167.4 billion were given. The United States is okay, promising 119 billion euros and receiving 114.6 billion euros.
These numbers look large, but the real gap is growing.
And the United States does not want to remain a fool. The Trump team made a new thing, the “PURL list”, which is the “Ukrainian priority list”.Simply put, it is the U.S. shipment and NATO pays money.This is said to reduce U.S. fiscal pressure to a minimum, while also showing that the U.S. is still helping Ukraine.
Zelensky understood that it was the West that was suggesting to him that we would support you, but that we would not always give you the bottom. Relying on others, it is better to find a backward path for yourself first, and this backward path,, does not circumvent Russia.
Zelensky said he wanted to meet directly with Putin and talk about the ceasefire, but the Russian side has always refused to accept him and directly refused.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov said: “Now Zelensky, the presidency is over and we cannot sign an agreement with an illegitimate government.”
Russia’s concerns are not unfounded. They are worried that even if they sign an agreement with the Zelensky government now, when he steps down and the new government will not accept the account, won't the agreement become a piece of waste paper?
That's the key. Russia doesn't want to waste time on a document that may be useless. Especially in Russia's view, Zelensky's current approach is more like "kidnapping". If you want a ceasefire, you have to recognize me as president; Otherwise, keep fighting.
This game is not only a military contest, but also a political game.
The front fire continues, and the back turns into a pot. The Ministry of Finance of Ukraine has revealed that by 2025, it will need at least $23 billion to fill the gap.
This is not a general loss, but a huge gap under multiple pressures such as war, infrastructure destruction, social welfare collapse.
The door to negotiations has been blocked. Zelensky does not want to step down before an agreement is reached, and Russia does not recognize Zelensky as qualified to negotiate.One wants to leave and the other disappears. As a result, the ceasefire agreement cannot be negotiated, let alone the election.
People can't leave, the battle can't be finished, and the accounts are becoming more and more difficult to calculate. Some people compare Zelensky to an actor who was full of enthusiasm when he first came on stage, but now he is physically and mentally exhausted.
In 2019, he also wore a comedian T-shirt to get into politics, but now he is a wartime president who cried out “weapons are the only guarantee.”
He did not come to war, and as a result became the most profound participant in the war. He originally started by acting, but now he can only rely on a tough stance to maintain his final political dignity.
He doesn’t want to leave, he can’t leave.Without an agreement, he can’t leave; without his departure, negotiations can’t start.Everybody is waiting for each other to move first, but nobody is willing to take this step first.
A war, fought into a dead circle. The only thing Zelensky can do now is to stand on the stage and say "ready to step down" to let everyone know that he is not staying on the stage.He wants to convince the country, He is not for power, he is for peace.
But do people believe it? Against the background of defeat on the front line, economic collapse and common people's suffering, the "promise to leave office" is more like a means of self-protection. And Putin, cold-eyedly watching him on the stage, did not cooperate, did not negotiate, not even an invitation.
Putin knew that if the war had stopped in the hands of Zelensky, he might still be able to retain some fame.
For Putin, it doesn’t matter. For Zelensky, he has already begun to arrange his funeral.However, whether this path of escape can be made clear, when, and whether it is appropriate or not depends on the face of others.
References:
1. "Trump said harsh words to Russia, Russia responded: Still open to starting peace talks" 2025-09-26 09:45| Source: Beijing News Network
2. "The Ukrainian Parliament approves the extension of the country's wartime state until November 5" 2025-07-16 08:06 | Source: Guangming.com
3. "NATO provided more than 50 billion euros in military assistance to Ukraine last year" 2025-02-14 04:06| Source: CCTV News